entropy
System's disorder measure
Entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness in a system.
In thermodynamics, it quantifies the energy unavailable for useful work—systems tend toward higher entropy over time, which is why heat flows from hot to cold and not the reverse.
In information theory, entropy measures uncertainty or unpredictability in data.
Figuratively, entropy suggests inevitable decline into chaos or disorganization: The project descended into entropy once the manager quit.
Entropy-probability linking physicist
- microstatesExtremely small sovereign nations
- equilibriumState of balance
- irreversibilityState of being permanent
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
Carnot · Gibbs · enthalpy · reversible
Absence of systematic arrangement
- disarrayLack of order
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- randomnessLack of predictable pattern
- unpredictabilityState resisting forecasts
degradation · dissolution · scattering · diffusion · mixing · dispersion · homogenization · equilibration
Irish river or name
- bitSmall amount or portion
- codingWriting software instructions
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- redundancyNeedless duplication
noise · signal · data · encoding · decryption · encryption · lossless · bandwidth
Decline in condition
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
- dissolutionBreaking up completely
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
State resisting forecasts
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- complexityState of being complicated
- nonlinearNot in sequence
- mixingCombining into one mass
Boltzmann
Entropy-probability linking physicist
- microstatesExtremely small sovereign nations
- equilibriumState of balance
- irreversibilityState of being permanent
temperature · Carnot · Gibbs · enthalpy · reversible
disorganization
Absence of systematic arrangement
- disarrayLack of order
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- randomnessLack of predictable pattern
unpredictability · degradation · dissolution · scattering · diffusion · mixing · dispersion · homogenization · equilibration · dissipation
Shannon
Irish river or name
- bitSmall amount or portion
- codingWriting software instructions
- compressionForcing into smaller space
redundancy · noise · signal · data · encoding · decryption · encryption · lossless · bandwidth · transmission
degradation
Decline in condition
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
- dissolutionBreaking up completely
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
breakdown · inexorable · irreversible · dissipation · exhaustion
unpredictability
State resisting forecasts
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- complexityState of being complicated
- nonlinearNot in sequence
- statistical mechanicsthermal equilibrium, phase transition, critical point, fluctuations, free energy
- theoretical physicsquantum mechanics, relativity, general relativity, special relativity, thermodynamics
- Chemical Theoryatomic theory, molecular theory, kinetic theory, quantum theory, ligand field theory
- complexity metrics
- nonequilibriumirreversibility, dissipation, steady state, steady states, steady-state
- tree ensemblesdecision tree, decision trees, ensemble, bagging, boosting
entropyorder
Methodical arrangement or request
organization · structure · pattern · arrangement · coherence
entropyredundancy
Needless duplication
predictability · certainty · signal · information · determinism